246 POACE.E. 



hairy below, ovate-lanceolate. 3-nerved, l.T-2 mm. long, awn 2-4 

 mm. long; palea nearly as long as its glume. 



Vermont, Priiiijk : Pennsylvania, U. S. Dej)t. Agriciih 313 

 from Scribn. ; iVIichigau, C'oolcy, Beal 45; Indiana, Bcal -i^ii; Texas, 

 Xealley. 



Dry Woods, New England to Iowa and New Mexico. 



15. M. elata Vasey, Contrib. V. S. Nat. Herb. 1:283 (1893). 



A harsh tufted erect perennial, 1)0-180 cm. high. C'ulins 

 slightly compressed, almost solid, leaf-bearing only below. Lower 

 sheaths compressed ; ligule decurrent, firm, acute or 2-toothed, 2- 

 6 mm. long; blades scabrous above, mostly conduplicate or involute, 

 30-90 cm. long, 1.5-3 mm. wide. Panicles brownish or of a red- 

 dish lead-color, terminal, narrow or spreading, 30-50 cm. long; 

 rays numerous, scattered, capillary, G-9cm. long, bearing 2-0 spike- 

 lets to each branch of the ray. Spikelets on very slender pedicels 

 that are 4-10 mm. long; empty glumes nearly equal, ovate, 1- 

 nerved, 1-1.5 mm. long, often irregularly lascerate and terminating 

 in a bristle, 0.2-3 mm. long; floral glume linear-lanceolate with a 

 few short hairs at the base, 3-nerved, 2 mm. long, the awn 5-10. 

 mm. long; palea oval, acute, as wide and as long as its glume. 



Mexico, Pal»ier52^, 770; Pringle 2351. 



lb. M. scoparia Vasey, Contrib. U. S. Nat. Herb. 1 : 283 (1893). 



An erect nearly smooth tufted perennial, 80-100 cm. high. 

 Culms compressed. Ligule acute, 5-6 mm. long; blades of sterile 

 shoots compressed, rigid, conduplicate, 30-50 cm. long, 3-4 mm. 

 wide, those of the culm 2 or 3, nariower and 15-20 cm. long. 

 Panicle linears or narrower, 30-00 cm. long, reddish brown, rays 

 mostly scattered, numerous, erect and spreading, branclu'.- panicu- 

 late, thinly flower-bearing fur the upper three-fourths, the longest 

 6 cm. long, bearing 50-70 spikelets. Spikelets on pedicels 1-4 mm. 

 long; empty glumes subequal, 1-nerved, 1.5 mm. long, besides 

 the bristly points; floral giume elliptical when spread, obsi.urely 

 3-nerved, about 2 mm. long, the awn 1-1.7 cm. long; palea acute, 

 about the length of its glume; the anthers 1.3 mm. long. 



Mexico, Priiigk 2350. 



17. M. exilis Fourn. llemsl. Biol. Cent. Am. Bot. 3: 540 (1880). 



